Run or die in the evolution of de novo microRNAs

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small, endogenous RNAs that regulate mRNA expressions post-transcriptionally. To study their expression, we collected and sequenced small RNA libraries in Drosophila species. To survey their regulation divergence, we dissected testes from miR-983 mutant and control flies in two sibling species and performed an RNA-seq analysis. Two small RNA samples from D. erecta and D. sechellia testes as well as eight RNA-seq samples from D. melanogaster and D. simulans testes were analyzed. For RNA-seq, each genotype contains two biological replicates.